Browsing and manipulating objects using movie like icons

Abstract

A method to access appropriate versions of files or objects in a computer with a graphical user interface. The invention creates a container "movie" object which "contains" a user or program selected group of contained objects--which are typically versions of a file, data at different stages in processing or any other set of files which are temporally related. Since such temporally related objects are usually accessed "one at a time", the container displays within itself an icon for only one of the contained objects--typically the most recent or currently active file. The other non-active versions are kept hidden, to prevent accidental access and reduce visual clutter. To access any of these hidden versions, a method is disclosed which forces the user to "rewind" or "forward" in a movie like fashion to the past or recent versions with an animation rate indicative of the date proximities between adjacent versions--thereby giving the user a "feel" for recency or newness. The user may change the active version during animation using a keystroke or pointing action. The major new effect of the present method is that when a plurality of movie icons are browsed the computing environment or file system can be made partially reversible, assisting users to revert back and allowing programs to access older files or drivers which were known to be stable.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a graphical user interface computer system, a method to access a specific object from a predetermined group of objects stored in a storage means accessible to the computer system, comprising the steps of a. executing a programmed means to animate icons of objects in the group within a container region on screen, in a sequence related to a date order, and upon detecting specific user input during animation   b. to execute a programmed action related to the current animated icon, enabling access to past or recent objects in an intuitive movie like "rewind" or "forward" browsing manner and reducing visual clutter of the objects scattered spatially on screen.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon animation has a time ratio such that a user gets a feel of temporal proximities between neighboring objects in the animation sequence. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon animation displays an icon with a persistency indicative of separation in modification date of the current object animated and modification date of the next object in the animation sequence. 
     
     
       4. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon animation has a sufficiently slow speed to enable a user to perform pointing actions related to the current icon animated. 
     
     
       5. The method of claim 1, wherein the icon animation programmed means has an ability to pause animation upon specific user input, to enable a user to perform pointing actions related to the current icon animated. 
     
     
       6. The method of claim 1, wherein the animation time ratio is not constant over the duration of animation. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 1, wherein the animation sequence has a rewinding nature to display recent objects prior to older objects from the group of objects. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 1, wherein additional information is stored with the date property about the time an object was appended to the group of objects, to enable sequencing by order of entry into group. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical user interface computer system is implemented as a portable device for hand held operation. 
     
     
       10. The method of claim 1, wherein said storage means comprises of a plurality of storage media to store the contained objects. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 1, wherein said storage means is a remote storage means and is accessed by the computer using a network connection. 
     
     
       12. In a graphical user interface computer system, a method to browse a container movie icon containing frame icons of temporally related objects, stored in a storage means accessible to the computer system, comprising the steps of a. a display programmed means to prominently display within the movie icon, only one predetermined active frame icon, and   b. to access other non-prominently displayed frame icons or hidden frame icons, a programmed means to animate frame icons in the movie icon region, with a user pausing ability and direction control, such that the animated sequence is related to a date order of said temporally related objects, whereby a user is forced to feel the temporal relationship of frame icons before launching an object, preventing hasty pointing actions toward non-active icons and at the same time, enabling intuitive access to any frame icon when required.